Romell Estelle (Cunningham) Nester, age 92, of D'Hanis, formerly of Dunlay, passed away Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014, in Hondo. Romell was born Oct. 21, 1921, in Placid, Texas, to Joseph and Rosa Mae (Shafer) Cunningham, who were farmers. Romell was the youngest of seven children and played the guitar and sang as a young girl and even had a regular spot on a local radio station. She was an expert yodeler and was part of a country western band that performed at the Cherry Springs Dance Hall in the late 1930s. Picking cotton in her parents' cotton fields as a child and later working as a waitress in the family's café in Mason helped impart a servant's nature in her. Romell met Ivan Charles Nester while he was in Mason for a road construction project. They were married in San Antonio on Sept. 21, 1940, where they resided for a few months. Over the next couple of years, they moved quite a bit as Ivan's work required, but eventually settled in Dunlay, where they raised their five children. Romell was a dedicated and talented homemaker. She modeled a servant's heart in every area of her life and serving her Lord was her first priority. Romell taught 4 & 5 year olds for over 50 years at Hondo First Baptist Church where she also participated in the choir, the Women's Missionary Union, worked in Vacation Bible School, served on various committees and faithfully visited the elderly women of the church, adopting each one as if she were her own mother. Romell took her children to church faithfully "every time the doors were open," and encouraged them to be involved in ministry. The blessing of 11 grandchildren was one of her greatest joys! She proudly attended their events and praised their achievements. Romell leaves a legacy of compassion, care, humility, optimism, contentment, joy, kindness, thoughtfulness, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, service, positive words, devotion, forgiveness, and always seeing the best in everyone. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ivan Charles Nester; brothers, Damon, Roy and Horace Cunningham; and sisters, Anne Mae Adams, Avis Harris and Winona Williams; sons-in-law, Stanley "Pud" Keller and Russell Allen. Survivors include her son, Edward Joseph "Joe" Nester of Castroville; daughters, Beverly J. Keller of Castroville, Peggy Allen of Mesa AZ, Sue Peterson and Mishell D. Lynch and husband David, all of D'Hanis; grandchildren, Kami Besson and husband Mike, Kory Keller and wife Trina, Tara Katalinic and husband Mike, Amber Cook and husband Troy, Josiah Peterson, Jacob Peterson, Jonathan Peterson, Paden Lynch, Clancey Lynch, Morgan Lynch and Hallie Lynch; great-grandchildren, Blake, Haley and McKenna Besson, Kaden and Zane Keller, Michael and Zachery Katalinic, Madison and Malory Cook; and sister-in-law, Doris Ruggles of Napa CA. Visitation will be Wednesday, Jan. 27, from 9 to 10 a.m., prior to the funeral service at 10 a.m., at First Baptist Church in Hondo. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery Annex, D'Hanis. In honor of her custom, the family suggests memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Building Fund, 2400 Ave. P, Hondo TX 78861.